Ashley Judd: Huge support for Senate run

Actress Ashley Judd said Saturday night that she is “overwhelmed” and “honored” by the outpouring of support in Kentucky for her possible campaign against Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), but added that she has yet to decide on a run.

“I am incredibly honored and frankly overwhelmed by the outpouring of support — that the people of Kentucky are interested in having me represent them is the greatest honor of my life so far, and I am certainly taking a close look at it,” Judd said before The Kentucky Society of Washington’s Bluegrass Ball in Washington.

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Judd for Senate? Hill reacts

She continued: “The people of Kentucky need a fighter and certainly going back 10 generations, I’ve got some fighters from those hills in my family and as soon as I know anything — after I’ve told the family members to whom I’ve made my promises that they’ll be the first to know — you will be up to date in real time.”

But does she have a time frame, she was asked? “There’s not a time frame,” Judd said.

And after she arrived — while she had no comment about gun control legislation — she did offer an unprompted joke about her dress. “I don’t even get to have a sparkly beverage before we start this?” she said after arriving. “I just got to town. I thought I would at least get to enjoy my poofy dress for a moment.”

Speculation of Judd possibly running had Kentucky politicians at the event offering their take on whether she’d be able to unseat McConnell, now in his fifth term.

Gov. Steve Beshear (D-Ky.) said he hopes Judd will run, and noted that she could bring fundraising ability.

“I think 2014 will be anybody’s game in terms of the Senate race. I know that Ashley apparently is thinking about it. I think she’s a great Kentuckian,” said Beshear, who chatted with Judd during the evening.

He continued: “I think she certainly has a possibility of winning. We all know that anytime you run against Sen. McConnell it’s a tough raise. He’s an excellent fundraiser. He’s a champion at fundraising and in this political game — particularly in a statewide election basis — that is a big part of the game, but Ashley and others will bring some fundraising ability to the table, too.”

Lt.. Gov. Jerry Abramson (D-Ky.) also said he’s never met her, but said that Judd — who is also the daughter of country singer Naomi Judd — is widely known in Kentucky. “She certainly has a lot of name recognition,” Abramson said.

But some Republican lawmakers were skeptical that she could beat McConnell.

“I really don’t know what her background is other than being a movie star,” Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) said.

Rep. Brett Guthrie noted that Judd currently resides in Tennessee and would need to change her residency.

“She is from Kentucky, so I get that — but she lives in Tennessee and to move back for a Senate race? I think it’d be very difficult, particularly when we’ve got a great senator already,” he said.